My Jewel
by TheAngryTori
Summary: The story of Asenath: how she met and fell in love with Joseph, Viceroy of Egypt, and the changes that occurred because of it. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Introduction

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Obviously, I do not own the Bible. I was simply reading the story of Joseph, and I came across a mention of his wife, Asenath. I wondered, how in the world would a man so upright and Godly come to marry an Egyptian woman, daughter of an Egyptian priest? I almost instantly had the idea for this story. I have done quite a bit of research, and realize that there has been an apocryphal account of Joseph and Asenath. However, this is my story, and I'm sticking to it! If there are any similarities between my story and this alternate account, they are completely unintentional._

_Also, since no one truly knows when Joseph became viceroy of Egypt, I am writing this story as if it occurs under the reign of Pharaoh Djoser. I also claim that the great architect, Imhotep, is his son. If this offends you (and I truly hope that it does not), I apologize right now. I just wanted to let you know before I get flames from some Egyptian history buff._

_Introduction_

My given name is Asenath. My father, Potipherah, is a priest of Atum in the city of Heliopolis. When I was a child, my mother wanted me to be a priestess to Anath. My father eventually talked her out of it, but not before my training had taught me many things, the most enforced of which was the hatred of men. My friends believed me to be foolish, but I wanted very little to do with any man. They were vulgar and rude, and I had not met one whom I approved of. This very much annoyed my father (though he delighted in my virginity), who thought that I should be married. It was his desire for my marriage that brought me to Memphis during my eighteenth year.

My father's presence was requested at the palace. As one of the leaders of Heliopolis, he was needed to discuss some of the changes to the storage of food for the coming famine, and also to meet the new viceroy, Zaphenath-Paneah. My father brought me along, hoping that I would spend time with the Pharaoh's son, Imhotep. I did not enjoy his company. He was a smart man, but also a fool. He knew much about architecture and the gods, but he thought that he was untouchable because he was the son of Pharaoh. But he was an unhealthy man, constantly falling victim to various diseases. He treated women poorly, though my father was blinded to his faults by his high status.

Regardless of my restraints, my finest clothes were packed in a large chest, and my father and I set out across the Nile toward Memphis, my mother staying at home to manage the household in my father's absence. Nothing could ever have prepared me for the changes that I would experience during my trip to Memphis.

_Sorry, just the introduction for now. I'll try to get chapters 1 and 2 up by the end of this week. Hope you enjoyed it so far! Reviews are welcomed!_


	2. Arrivals

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the characters therein. Ebio belongs to me, but that is all. Don't sue. Also, I've already received a review! Hooray, and thank you, Clouded Horizon!_

_Chapter 1_

As soon as we arrived, we were escorted to our quarters in the palace. The room was large, beautifully and simply decorated. My father's, next to mine, was much more grand. Our home in Heliopolis was quite expensive, but it seemed a hut compared to the palace. However, I missed my room, even when compared to all of this finery. My room at home had a window that looked out onto the Nile, from which I would watch the boat games. Men would gather on two different boats and try to knock each other into the water with long poles. Many hours would be spent simply watching the ships sailing by, as well as the occasional hippopotamus or alligator hunter. The room that I now found myself in had a smaller window that looked out above the city. It was a great view of the teeming life of Memphis, but it held none of the beauty and entertainment of the Nile. I knew that I would only be here for a couple weeks, if not less, but I was already beginning to miss my home.

I heaved a great sigh, then opened my travel chest and unfolded my finest dress, to prepare myself for the welcoming dinner. My dress was decorated with carnelian beads, patterned to look like a lotus flower. I also wore a matching headband as well, and several gold and carnelian bracelets. I had a servant help me to dress and comb my hair. We redid the kohl around my eyes, and then I waited for my father to come and escort me to dinner. He arrived shortly, looking very regal in his pure white tunic and kilt, and we headed down to the celebration.

We were introduced, and we entered the large hall, greeting everyone who was already in attendance. There were several men and their wives whom I recognized as leaders of Heliopolis. Most of the families I did not recognize, however, and I struggled to remember names. Several other women, younger than I, were attending as well. They all seemed to be looking around hopefully for a sight of Imhotep. I had to stifle a laugh. There was a girl that I began to converse with who was named Ebio. She had traveled far; she and her father had come all the way from Luxor. She was fifteen years of age, and very kind, though a little quiet. We talked until it was time for everyone to be seated. Ebio and I sat next to each other, managing to find seats toward the back of the room. The other seat next to me remained empty. We were whispering quietly when the introduction came—the royal family was here.

We all bowed down before them as they entered. To my right, Ebio was shaking. It was her first time meeting the Pharaoh or his family, and she had admitted to being nervous. Her father was a newly appointed priest in Luxor, and she had never been to such a regal event such as this. When we stood again, I gave her hand a slight, reassuring squeeze. She sent me a grateful smile, and we sat down. As we sat, Pharaoh Djoser introduced Viceroy Zaphenath-Paneah. He was very handsome, especially for a Hebrew, and quite tall—much more so than Imhotep. He was far younger than I had expected, being of thirty years at the most. His hair was dark and slightly curled, hanging simply and unhindered to his broad shoulders. His eyes were a deep green color, and they betrayed the confidence he was trying to show. He carried himself with much grace, but his eyes darted around the room tentatively, resting on individual faces. He looked at me, and I smiled assuringly at him. His eyes seemed to widen in shock, and he looked away quickly. I looked at Ebio, but she was far too busy gazing at Imhotep to notice the young Hebrew next to him.

Everyone cheered at the end of Pharaoh's speech, and the royal family was seated. To my disgust, Imhotep seated himself at my side. My new friend was excited to be so close to him, and I attempted to bring her in to our conversation as much as possible. At first she was too nervous to say much, but she soon got over her nervousness and began to lead the direction of the discussion. I was glad for it—she allowed me to simply listen, and not to actually converse with Imhotep. This was a good thing, as I was quite distracted.

Zaphenath-Paneah was sitting almost directly across from me, being served all by himself. I felt quite sorry for him; Hebrew or no, he was still a savior to our nation, and should be allowed to eat with the rest of us. He kept his eyes down and his mouth closed, looking up only occasionally to glance at me. Some of the time I would feel his eyes on me, and they stayed there for some time. If I ever caught his eye, he would stare at me for a moment, then look down again. It was not an uncomfortable staring, but more like he was trying to understand me; I was attempting the same with him. He seemed so very out of place, a lone Hebrew in a room full of Egyptians. It made me wonder if I appeared the same way, in between two people who had abandoned me in favor of their conversation.

After the meal was finished, we were entertained by several dancers and musicians. I was entranced by the music, and the skill of the players. My mother had taught me to play the harp, and though I could play several songs, none were nearly so intricate as these. At the end of the first song, I looked around the room. Zaphenath-Paneah was gone! I searched all around, but he was nowhere to be found. I sincerely hoped that our Egyptian customs had not offended him. From what I had experienced of his people, they seemed just as disgusted with us as we were with them. I did not want him to have a bad impression of us, since he was to stay here for at least the next fourteen years. I turned back to the music, shaking thoughts of him from my head. Several songs passed quickly, while I gave only short, vague responses to Imhotep and Ebio's questions. I thought I would be able to endure sitting next to him for at least a few more songs, until Imhotep said something completely vulgar about what he would like to do to one of the dancers. Ebio gave a little embarrassed laugh, as if wondering whether to be offended or not, and I tried desperately to change the subject. After a few awkward moments (on Ebio's part), I finally turned to face her and asked, "Will you please excuse me for a few moments? I need to get a breath of fresh air."

She nodded vigorously. "Yes. Are you feeling all right? You have been very quiet all though dinner."

"Yes, I am fine. I just need some fresh air." I turned to leave, but Imhotep grabbed my wrist roughly and made a move as if to stand.

"I will escort you." I slid my wrist out of his grip and shook my head.

"Thank you, there is no need," I replied shortly. To my annoyance, he grabbed my wrist yet again.

"I insist." I once again reclaimed my hand and gave a smile that I hoped did not appear forced.

"You are too kind," I nearly spat out. "But I can find my way." With that, I turned and nearly ran out the door before he could say anything else. I prayed to whoever would hear me that my father had not seen the exchange, or I would be in much trouble for being intractable with the son of Pharaoh. I made a direct course for the garden, attempting to put as much distance as possible between myself and such a man as Imhotep.

_Okay, so the first chapter is up! I hope you're enjoying reading this so far; I'm really enjoying writing it! Please review, and let me know what you think!_


	3. Meeting Zaphenath

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the characters therein. Ebio belongs to me, but that is all. Don't sue. Also, thanks to hillyhp2590 for the review!_

_Chapter 2_

The garden was cool and beautiful, with a winding path outlined by walls one cubit high on either side. I walked slowly and breathed deeply, trying to clear my head and suppress the sick feeling in my stomach. Imhotep's words seemed to follow me, even in the clear air, and I struggled to resist the urge to vomit.

I turned around a corner and suddenly spotted the Viceroy, gazing at a small pool filled with delicate blue lotus flowers. "Zaphenath-Paneah?" He made no response. "Zaphenath, sir?" I asked again, louder. He started and turned towards me, his eyes wide. He studied my face for a moment, then sat heavily on the short wall along the path.

"You will have to forgive me. I am not yet accustomed to my new name." His voice was soft and low, his words deliberate. He seemed to take great care in what he said, which was already a relief after listening to Imhotep for the past few hours. I smiled softly and sat down at a comfortable distance from him. "What was your name before?"

He looked at me slowly before answering, "Yosef. What is your name?"

"Asenath, though I am not very pleased with it, either."

"Why not?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "It is a very pretty name." This made me smile.

"Thank you. But it means 'holy to Anath,' and I"—I broke off, wondering if I had said too much. I had never told anyone about this before. He was a Hebrew, though, and (hopefully) would not be disgusted by what I was about to say. I took a breath, and a quick glance around, and said, "I do not even like Anath." He looked at me with such an intense look that I could not meet his gaze.

"Why?" I briefly wondered why I was telling him so much, but figured that it would not matter anyway.

"She is a goddess of war. My half-brother was a soldier, taken from me by war. You cannot expect me to be pleased with one who has killed my only brother and best friend." While I spoke, he looked down toward the ground.

"I am so sorry. I have lost my brother, as well."

"Is he dead?"

"I do not know. I was taken away from him many years ago."

"Taken? What do you mean?" He looked up at me, smiling grimly, and I finally realized that he might not want to discuss it. "I apologize. I do not mean to pry." He shook his head gently.

"No, no. I have done the same to you. It may just help me to discuss it with someone." I was glad that he was not offended by my interrogation, for which I felt quite embarrassed and guilty. But I was immensely curious to know what had happened to this quiet, gentle man. "I am from a land very far away, the firstborn son of my father's favorite wife. I was very close to my younger brother, Benjamin, who was my mother's only other son. The rest of my brothers were jealous of the favoritism I received from my father. For many years, I was blind to their anger. I said some very foolish things that only provoked their anger; I spoke of dreams I had had in which they all bowed down to me. They quickly grew tired of this, and decided to put an end to it. One day, when I visited them in the fields, they grabbed me and threw me into a nearby cistern. My brother Reuben thankfully convinced the rest to let me live, and when a group of Midianite merchants passed by, they sold me to them. I was sold again, eventually imprisoned, and have now found my way into Pharaoh's court. I have not seen my brother since he was a child, nearly thirteen years ago." He told me all of this without any hesitation, or any trace of anger. I was stunned!

"And you are not angry about what they did to you?" I asked, enraged for him.

He simply gave his grim smile and replied, "No. If my God had never put me through any of that, then I would not be in a position to protect Egypt from the coming famine." It made sense, but I could not believe that he was not furious.

"I suppose that I am much indebted to this God of yours, if that is indeed the case. If you had not come along, my father would have been killed for not being able to interpret Pharaoh's dreams."

"I am glad," he replied, still smiling. I grinned back, and we were silent for several moments. I suddenly realized that I had been gone from dinner for a very long time. I jumped to my feet, feeling a wave of dizziness come and pass.

"I have been gone for too long. I must return." He stood as well.

"Would you like an escort?" I almost laughed, wondering why so many men found me unable to walk anywhere by myself.

"No, thank you. I will be fine." He nodded, and I turned to leave, but stopped. A thought had come to me, and I looked back at him. He raised an eyebrow at my odd behavior. "If you and I are ever alone together again, would it be alright if I call you Yosef?" His eyes lit up; he grinned, a more cheerful and genuine smile than any I had seen grace his features before.

"I would like that very much."

"Very well. Until then, Yosef." He took a step closer to me, then took my hand and gently held it in his.

"I cannot wait, Asenath," he whispered. I could feel my face heating as he released my hand, and I turned and walked off quickly. I glanced back once, quickly, to see him watching me as I walked away. 'Oh no,' I thought. This young man was kind, polite, quiet, gentle, intelligent, and strong. He was all of the things that I esteemed, and none of the things that sickened me. But he was also a Hebrew, and a good Hebrew man would never have anything to do with the daughter of an Egyptian priest! That was unheard of! Even the short discussion that we had, alone, was unprecedented.

I took a deep breath, finding myself at the door to the dining hall. I attempted to prepare myself, feeling as if I was walking from an oasis into a desert of sand. I snuck in quickly, trying to return to my seat unnoticed. Ebio was laughing heartily at something the prince had said when I returned, and I smiled when I saw how many young women were gazing jealously at her. Imhotep turned to me seriously as soon as I sat down. "Where were you?" he demanded.

I attempted to look sheepish as I answered, "I got lost on my return." He looked angry, and I began to fear the worst.

"You should have let me go with you," he stated, and I knew that I should agree if I wanted him to drop this questioning.

"Yes, you are right. I apologize." He nodded his acceptance at my words, and I breathed a sigh of relief. He did not seem to have noticed my lie. However, my father was staring at me from across the room, and I knew that I would not ever hear the end of it.

_Hooray for second chapters! I hoped you enjoyed it, I should have the next chapter out in a matter of days. Please rate and message!_


	4. More Than One Kind of Jackal

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Wow, I'm so sorry it's taken me this long! I've been really busy and really sick lately, and I just hadn't had much time to write. So, here is the long-awaited Chapter 3! Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the characters therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 3_

Over the following days, I saw Yosef often. Whenever we passed in the halls, he would stop to talk. He would ask of my day and I would ask of his, then he would bow slightly and go on his way. During meals, he would sit as close as was acceptable, and we would talk whenever Ebio ignored me in favor of Imhotep. Later in the day, when his work was complete, he would come to find me and we would simply talk or play games, enjoying each other's company. He often told me tales of his God, which I enjoyed. His seemed so much kinder than mine, and I wondered how such a benevolent God was to be respected and feared.

On my fourth day at the palace, late in the evening, Yosef came to me and asked if I could teach him to play Hounds and Jackals. Women were not supposed to play such a game, but I had told him the day before that my father had taught me when I was very young. Yosef and I snuck around the palace, like children, to find a place to play in secret. We eventually settled on a small servants' dining room. My maidservant for my time at the palace, Raziya, was sitting in a corner weaving a dress for her daughter; I knew that she would not tell anyone of what she might hear.

Our first game consisted simply of my teaching Yosef the rules. Our second was slightly more involved on both parts, and by our third he was able to play mostly without my advice. I teased him, laughingly, when he made a poor move and my final hound made it into the goal. "Yosi, you are not yet at a level where it would be polite to let me win!" I knew that he had been consciously making poor moves for my benefit.

"It is always polite to let a woman win," he said, smiling his gentle smile.

"Not when you are still learning to play, dear Yosi. I would much rather have you beat me once! Though, that is the only chance you will get," I teased. I heard Raziya give a small, quiet laugh, and it warmed my heart. She was a sweet young girl, though quiet and afraid to offend anyone. It had taken some time for me to convince her that I would never harm her for speaking her mind; she still had her reservations, especially around Yosef, who was of such high rank. That laugh had been the only sound I had heard from her in some time.

I looked back at Yosef, who smiled sheepishly and began to reset the board. "I wish I had a name for you," he said suddenly, catching me off guard. I looked at him quizzically. After a moment, he caught my look and began to seem flustered, as though he hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I should explain. You are able to call me Yosef in place of my Egyptian name. I wish there was something I could call you in place of Asenath."

"Oh," I said, finally understanding. "I see! Yes, I want a Hebrew name as well." He laughed at my childishness.

"Very well. I will have to think of one for you." I smiled at the thought, and watched him set up the board. He did it carefully, occasionally glancing up at me to make sure he was correct. There was a pleasant silence in the room, as if the whole world was at peace. I knew that it could not last.

As if in accordance with my thoughts, there was a sudden bustle of movement as the door flew open and Ebio's head looked in. She pulled back and ran off, and there was another lull in which Yosef and I shared a comical glance. Then, the door burst open yet again, and Ebio ran in, nearly panting. "There you are! I have looked everywhere!" I stood, worried, as I had never seen her so troubled before.

"What is wrong? Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said, reaching out and grabbing both of my hands excitedly. "I have news for you, dear friend!"

"For me?"

"I overheard some servants speaking—Imhotep wants to marry you!" It seemed as though time itself had stopped. I felt as though my heart had decided not to continue beating. If he were to ask for my hand, I would be killed if I refused. I heard Yosef leap to his feet, and time began racing to catch up.

"Wh-what?" My mouth was dry and I could not speak with ease.

"Yes! Is it not too lovely? But, according to one of the cooks, his father will not let him, because you are not royalty!" I was able to breathe again. I released her hands and fell heavily to my seat. From the corner of my eye, I saw Raziya trying to sneak out of the room with her weaving.

"Raziya," I called after her. She turned around, a look of mild guilt evident on her face. "Is this true?" She took several steps toward us before answering my question.

"Yes, mistress. My husband heard it himself." He husband was the Pharaoh's cupbearer, a handsome young man and a trustworthy source.

"I see. And you are certain Pharaoh will not allow him?"

"Yes, mistress." I smiled at her.

"Good." Her eyes widened, and I thought Ebio might have a fit. I was surprised by how much emotion was stirred up by such a small word.

"What are you saying?" Ebio nearly cried at me. "You do not wish to marry Imhotep?"

"I would not for all of Egypt," I stated.

"But that is exactly what you would receive!"

"Oh, I know that. But he is so… so vulgar!"

"So? He is the son of Pharaoh!" I simply smiled at her, and she shook her head as though speaking with an ignorant child. "I will never understand you, Asenath," she stated, turning to leave the room.

"Thank you for informing me of the latest news, dear Ebio." She shook her head again and left. Raziya watched her leave, then turned back to me. She smiled—which I took to say that she agreed with me—curtsied to Yosef and I, and left quietly. I looked up at Yosef, who was only just taking his seat again.

"Well…" he began. "That was interesting." We both laughed at his comment. I looked out through the dining room's small window.

"It is getting late, Yosef." He followed my gaze out at the steadily descending sun.

"So it is." He stood and bowed to me. "I thank you for being such a gracious teacher." I laughed at his foolish formalities. I stood and curtsied graciously to him, playing along.

"I thank you for being such a willing student." He reached over and gently held my right hand.

"Would you allow an escort to your room?"

"No, thank you."

"Ah," he whispered, eyes closing, "you deny me again." He smiled and opened his eyes again, suddenly serious. "Are you certain? Imhotep will not be pleasant after his father's rebuke. I would hate for you to pass him in the halls tonight." I smiled at his worry, but turned him down again. "Very well. I bid you good-night," he said while releasing my hand.

"Good-night, Yosef."

_Okay, Chapter 3 is up! I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it!!_


	5. Of Fathers and Friends

_Disclaimer/Author's Note:: Oh. My. Goodness. I haven't updated this in forever! I'm so sorry! Hopefully, I will be able to update more often. I think I've finally gotten over my ridiculous case of writer's block. Hope you enjoy Chapter 4! Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the characters therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 4_

Upon returning to my room, I found my father standing with his arms behind his back, looking through the window. He turned slowly as I entered. "Close the door." The tone of his voice was so cold and detached that my hands trembled as I obeyed his order. "Have a seat, Asenath." I sat. He was obviously upset about something, and I prayed that it was not something I had done. My father and I had always gotten along well; but when he used that voice...

'Please, oh gods, save me from his wrath!'

"It has come to my attention that his majesty Imhotep desires your hand in marriage." My mind went instantly to Ebio, and I hoped that she had not thought to relay to him what she had to me. "You have nothing to say to this?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. I hung my head.

"No, father."

"Good," he said coldly. "I would not have you disgrace the family with your foolish ideas of love before marriage." The shame I felt at his harsh words was something I still have not forgotten. He did not even give me time to compose myself before he continued, saying, "Now, I am aware that the Pharaoh, (may he live forever), has denied his son of this honor, for reasons I am not sure of. Being the wife of the future Pharaoh would be a great honor." He paused here, probably imagining how proud he would be. He began to pace as he continued his discourse. "The fact that he himself asked for your hand would give you a good chance of becoming his Great Wife. You _will not_ avoid this opportunity." There was silence.

'Oh, God of Yosef, if you are out there at all, please help me!'

"You need to do all in your power to convince the Pharaoh, (may he live forever), to change his mind; or, otherwise, to convince Imhotep that he has reason to disobey his father." This statement was followed with more silence. What did he expect me to do? From the tone of his voice, it seemed as though... No! My father would not order me to seduce a man... Would he?

My mouth suddenly decided to speak without consulting my mind first, and I boldly asked, "What if I refuse?"

'Oh no! What have I done?'

He was visibly shocked—and infuriated—at my response. I watched him take a step closer, and he raised his hand to strike me. I shut my eyes, anticipating the blow. Before I had time to compose a prayer, there was a knock at my door. I opened my eyes fearfully, and my father lowered his hand. "Who is there?" he asked, his voice and body composed. Raziya stepped through the door and bowed.

"Please excuse me, master, madam. The Viceroy wishes to speak with you both."

"Thank you. Show him in," he answered. I kept my gaze averted from the door, so as not to show what I was feeling. When I heard the door open again, I stood, and my father and I bowed. I kept my eyes firmly locked on the floor. "Viceroy," my father greeted in an overly familiar tone. "To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

"I apologize for the late hour, but I wished to personally extend an invitation to you and your daughter. The Pharaoh has decided to hold a special Boat Race tournament tomorrow. Imhotep himself will be participating in the tournament, and the Pharaoh's very own boat will be available for the both of you to watch from. If you are interested," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Oh, yes, Viceroy. We would be delighted. Would we not, Asenath?" I nodded gently. I glanced up at Yosef to confirm that he had caught the gesture, and was surprised to find him gazing at me in concern.

"Yes, we would, Viceroy. Will Ebio be in attendance?" He nodded his head slowly.

"Yes, I believe she will."

"Wonderful," my father said dismissively, and I could feel his disapproving glance for a lingering moment. "Well," he stated, glancing away, "I believe I will turn in." He turned and hugged me, taking the opportunity to whisper in my ear, "This is your chance. Do _not_ miss it." After bidding a good night to Yosef, he turned and stalked out of my room. Yosef watched him leave, then turned to me.

"Are you alright, Asenath?" He came a step closer. "You're shaking!" I fought for control over myself, but I couldn't stop the tremors that ran through my body, nor the tears that threatened to fall. My father had very nearly hit me! We had been so close when I was a child. I must truly have disappointed him with who I became; but I knew I could not change. I wished to make him proud, but I would not attempt to _seduce _Imhotep! And another thing weighing on my mind: it was only after I prayed to Yosef's God that I was saved from my father.

"Asenath?" he whispered softly. I began to cry, and he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I sobbed gently as he held me, whispering comforting words in my ear. After many minutes, I finally calmed down and he asked me what was wrong.

"I am so foolish, Yosi! My father... He wishes me to be married, and soon, to a rich and powerful man. Specifically, to Imhotep. And now he says that I should convince the Pharaoh to consent to our marriage. And I—I foolishly asked my father what would happen if I refused. Oh, Yosef! If you had not come when you did, he would have hit me." As I said this, I could sense his anger. His whole body, so close to mine, grew tense.

"Has he hit you before?" he asked in a lower, colder voice than I had yet heard.

"Not often. Enough for me to know I do not wish it to happen again. But, I feel I must tell you... I prayed to your God, Yosi, that He would save me from my father. And I think... I believe He has!" He relaxed at my words, and caught my gaze for the first time since entering my room. He smiled again.

"I am glad. He always sends help to those who need it."

"I think you may be right. But, Yosef, I do not know if I can turn my back on my gods, on my father. I don't wish to disappoint him." He looked away from me, at some spot over my shoulder.

"My God is a very jealous God, Asenath. He will not be praised along with other gods." I nodded.

"Yes, you've told me this. I do not know what to do." He turned back to face me again, with a gentle smile gracing his features.

"Pray. Talk to Him about it. He will guide you."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, I do." He smiled again, and let go of me. "Are you feeling better now?" I smiled.

"Yes, thank you."

"Good. In that case, I will bid you good-night."

"Good-night, Yosef." He bowed, and turned to leave, but then stopped at the door. He spun around quickly, his eyes bright.

"I think I have come up with a name for you." He seemed very excited about this, and I smiled.

"Oh, really? So soon?" He nodded, and took several steps closer to me.

"Yes. What do you think of the name Adi?"

"Adi," I repeated, testing it. "I like that very much. What does it mean?" He smiled mischievously.

"I cannot tell you. Not now, at least." I gasped, pretending to sound offended.

"How do I know that you are not insulting me?" He continued smiling, and reached out to hold my right hand in both of his.

"It is not an insult, I promise you." Then he did something I could never have anticipated—he pressed his lips against my hand. Then he turned and stalked to the door. He paused with his hand on my door, and turned back to say, "Good-night, Adi."

"Good-night, Yosi," I replied, trying not to sound too dazed. He smiled and left my room. Later that night, as I lay awake in bed, I did try to speak to this God of his. But words did not come easily, and there seemed to be no reply. I resolved myself to try again tomorrow morning, when my mind was perhaps not so disoriented; for I could not manage to shake the feeling of his lips on my hand, nor of his arms around me.

_Alrighty! Hope you liked this chapter! I'm already at work on the next one, and hopefully will have it up within a week at the latest. Please review! I really want to know whether someone likes this story, because I am certainly very proud of it!_


	6. A Vision of Truth

_Disclaimer/Author's Note:: Wow! I'm so proud of myself, actually kind of updating on time! I'm sorry this chapter is so short. It just seemed like a good stopping point. The next one will be up shortly (really. Like, later tonight or tomorrow at the latest). It will be short,too. I'm thinking about combining the two. Send me a message and tell me what you think. I really hate short chapters, but it just seems like such a great place to stop! ...Also, thanks to **book-luver121**, **rainpaint**, and **Dearborn** for the reviews! Hope you enjoy Chapter 5!_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 5_

It would not be quite accurate to say that I awoke to the blindingly white light in my room. True, I opened my eyes to it; I saw it and perceived it. But I certainly would not consider myself to have awakened—for there is much more to being awake than simply having your eyes open, just as there is much more to _living_ than simply being alive. However it is to be said, I was still in my state of not-awake when I sat up, trying to shield my eyes from the intensely bright light. It was then, while trying to avoid looking at it, that I realized it was coming from a solid source in a corner of my room. And it was then, upon turning to see this source of light, that I consider myself to have awakened. In a corner of my room, dressed in clothes that gleamed like lightning, stood a man.

I could not see his face, for the light was too bright for my eyes to see anything definitive except that his eyes were blue. Initially, I was terrified. He simply stood there, watching me, as I slowly crept our of bed. I stood, afraid of making any movement; but when I looked again at his face, I knew he must be some sort of god. I fell to my knees.

"My Lord," I whimpered, my voice shaking, "Have mercy on your servant." A gentle hand touched my shoulder and filled me with warmth.

"Do stand, daughter of man," came his reply. His two hands gripped my elbows and pulled me up to look at him. There was a gentleness in the light, and the more I looked, the more bearable it became. I know that he was smiling, though I still could not view his face. It was more of a feeling than an actual seeing.

"Who are you, my Lord?"

"My name is of no importance to you, dear one."

"Are you... Are you the God of Yosef?" He laughed lightly at my question—a more beautiful sound than I have ever heard, even to this day.

"No, dear heart. I am His agent. I am His creation, just as you are His. We are all His creation, blessed be He." I was rather... It pains me to say it, but I was indignant at his answer.

"Will this God not reveal himself to me personally? Why must he send an agent?" His blue eyes were saddened by my answer, welling with tears.

"Oh, sister of Heaven! How you have been deceived! The LORD God cannot reveal Himself to the children of Adam! The sight of Him alone would overwhelm you. And it would interfere with your free will, with your ability to choose. He sends His agents because we, as fellow creations, are easier to perceive. But even we, as you have seen, are not easy for you to look upon." He guided me to the bed and allowed me to sit down as I tried to understand his words.

"How am I to believe in a god that I cannot see?"

"How deep is your deception, Daughter of Eve! Would you then worship an idol? You would praise a god made by man over the God who _made _man?" This gave me pause, and I chose to change the subject.

"Who has deceived me?" His smile was somehow bitter at this question (bitter is not really the word I would choose. Nothing this agent could do was bitter or bad. It is simply the closest word to what I cannot fully describe).

"The Enemy. Your father. Every man, woman, and child who has chosen sin over love. This world has come so far from what it was intended to be. But take heart! The Father has not left it. The world is turning as it will, but the story shall always end in love. You have been deceived; but the truth is now being revealed to you. There is but one God who reigns over Heaven and Earth and all things. Nothing is done without His hand. And His love covers all, and gives hope to the nations, to His people."

My mind was reeling at his words. All that I had once been taught, that I had once believed, was deception. After a long pause, I was finally able to ask him, "What do I do now? How do I continue to live my life when faced with this? To deny my entire way of life, to turn my back on my father and mother..? Through what means, and to what end?" He placed both hands steadily on my shoulders, his eyes and his light both burning with a deeper intensity than before.

"You cannot look away," he whispered. "You cannot turn your back on the truth." He released my shoulders and turned away, and I thought he was going to leave me. Instead, he turned back to me and smiled, the light taking on the feeling of that smile. "The LORD will not forsake you, Dear One. You shall not fight this alone. Do not fear, Daughter of Adam, for the LORD has heard your cry, blessed be He." I remember the light growing brighter and brighter; and I heard a melody that I often have tried to replicate. I can never seem to get it right, as if our terrestrial notes and chords are inadequate; but I often hear it repeating in my mind, especially when I begin to doubt the Father's love for His children. The next thing I remember is awakening to Raziya's soft, sweet voice, rousing me to prepare for breakfast and such a lovely day.

_Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 6 will be up soon. Please review (and let me know if I should combine these two chapters)!!_


	7. Of Friends and Pharaohs

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Wow! I have so many more readers now! Thank yous go to __**LadyOfTheCelticLand**__, __**Dearborn**__, and __**rainpaint**__ for the lovely reviews, and thank you to all of my readers! You guys have really encouraged me to get off my lazy butt and actually do some writing! I really think I've improved a lot as a writer just from this story and all of my wonderful reviews, and I truly do hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!_

_I will say, I'm sorry for the late update. I said I would have this chapter up by Friday or Saturday, and clearly it is now Tuesday. In my defense, this chapter has turned out much longer than I was planning on making it. A thousand apologies! I really have been working, though. Promise! And also, I feel like there is way too little dialogue in this chapter. I can't currently think of any other way to write it, though. So for now, I'm sorry, and I'll try to come back to it and fix it how I want it to be later.  
_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 6_

When the royal family came to breakfast that morning, I was surprised to see Imhotep seat himself not at my side, but at my father's. I was unsure whether to be pleased that he was not near me, or terrified that he and my father were talking quietly and clearly enjoying each other's company.

Yosef barely spoke to me during breakfast, but he seemed unable to take his eyes off of me. It was quite unnerving. I was very glad for Ebio's company, or I would have felt quite lonely. ...And I was trying to take my mind off of the unusual occurrence the night before.

The Viceroy stood up to leave breakfast earlier than usual. He stopped when passing me by to whisper in my ear, "During the races, try to spend as much time as possible with the Pharaoh to please your father. After some time, I will come and ask for your company. Potipherah cannot blame you for being whisked away by the Pharaoh's Vizier."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, Zaphenath-Paneah."

His response was the sad, grim smile that he always gave when I had to use his Egyptian name (or when I used it simply to tease him). A moment passed, and the smile changed into an unusual expression. He took a breath and whispered, "Asenath... Do you realize..? You seem to be glowing."

I was very much confused for a moment, and then I smiled, remembering. My eyes did seem to have changed since last night; everything I looked at seemed remarkably dimmer. Except, even more curiously, for Zaphenath. Yosef. "I wondered about that," I whispered with a mysterious smile. Discreetly, I touched his hand and said, "We have much to discuss later."

He smiled, curious, then nodded and left quickly. When I turned back to Ebio, she was smiling at me knowingly. "What?" I demanded.

"Nothing," she said, still smiling. She leaned over and whispered in my ear, "He _is_ rather attractive for a Hebrew."

I felt my face heating quickly. "I—well—he—," I stammered. She laughed at me as I stuffed a large piece of bread in my mouth and chewed, thoroughly embarrassed. She laughed even harder when I nearly choked while trying to swallow; we had to excuse ourselves, for we were beginning to make a scene with our uncontrolled laughter.

The walk from the palace to where we would board Pharaoh's barge felt like walking to my own execution. My right arm was being held in the vice-like grip of my father's hand, while my left was hooked with Ebio's arm. We had grown much closer after our little "moment" at breakfast. I had told her everything that was happening (and even confessed to a growing...sentiment for the Vizier). While she did not share my distaste for Imhotep, she had sincerely promised to not leave my side until Yosef came to my rescue. This would be our last full day at the palace—my father informed me just after breakfast that we would begin our journey home tomorrow, midday. It was while nearing the Nile with Ebio at my side that I realized just how much I would miss her company. "You must visit us in Heliopolis! Mustn't she, father?" I asked, trying to make light of such a sad time.

"Yes, yes," he answered in his short, detached tone that made it clear he had not heard a word I'd said.

I smiled at Ebio anyway as if he'd said nothing. "You will visit me, won't you?"

She smiled and patted my hand. "Of course, my friend. I will most certainly visit you." I was about to say something else, when she suddenly gasped. We had just come into view of the Pharaoh's boat—it was by far the largest any of us had ever seen! It was much larger than any other barge, with both a second and a third level! Everyone was very excited, and we all quickened our pace to be the first ones to board after Pharaoh. My father truly dragged Ebio and I along, trying to get as close to Pharaoh as possible. He literally pushed people aside as we boarded, and I nearly lost my hold on Ebio's arm. The first level was rather plain, simply a place for the rowers to rest if needed. About half of the level was walled off, seeming to be a sort of galley. I had taken for granted that we would be served refreshments, but I had not really thought about the necessity of a galley until I saw it. The only remarkable thing about this level was the marble stairway leading up to the next two levels.

The next was much more illustrious, with many cushions for lounging and much more open space than below. I was unable to see much more than a few hanging lanterns and a beautiful, bright mosaic on the floor before my father hurried us along the second staircase. The top level was so luxurious! There was no roof, allowing us to view the bright midday sun, though many shades had been raised to provide relief from the heat. Yet another beautiful mosaic graced the floor, displaying the Pharaoh's first alligator hunt. The walls, about three cubits high, were inlaid with gold, and several solid gold, unlit, standing oil lamps encircled the open space. There was an elegant throne of cedar and gold for the Pharaoh, and many more seats and cushions around him.

The Pharaoh, his many wives, and his advisors were all seated and he looked around with a regal smile. "Do enjoy yourselves," he stated simply in his low, rumbling voice as he gestured for us all to be seated. My father bowed deeply before him, but Pharaoh simply looked at him, disinterested. His gaze drifted from my father and onto me, and he smiled genuinely. "Asenath! Come, sit here," he said in a voice used to giving commands and gesturing to his left. I was taken aback by this but, not wishing to defy the Pharaoh, I sat. The aging man turned and looked at my father, as though surprised he was still standing there. "You are dismissed," he said. Ebio had to turn away, and I struggled to stifle a laugh as my father's face instantly flushed, and he bowed to hide his embarrassment before stalking away. As the boat began to pull away from the shore, Pharaoh reached down and took my right hand in both of his. "Asenath. Do you enjoy the boat races?"

"Yes, Pharaoh, very much."

He smiled, looking very pleased. "Your brother, I believe, was a very skilled racer. Was he not?" I had noticed Yosef stand and begin to walk towards my father. When he heard this, he paused and glanced back at me for the slightest moment.

"Yes, sir. Indeed he was."

He nodded slowly. "His death was certainly a great tragedy for Egypt. He would have made a great general."

"Thank you," I whispered, not wanting to cry in front of Pharaoh. He patted my hand with his much larger one, and I felt surprisingly comforted. There was a pause in our conversation as his Great Wife walked by, going to speak with someone. I watched the aging man as he watched her. There was so much love in his gaze that I felt as though I might cry again, and had to look away. Without turning to look at me, he asked, "Is she not the most beautiful woman in all the world?"

This made me smile. "Without a doubt, my Pharaoh." She truly was. Every one of her movements exuded grace, and her eyes shown with a love for her people. Her hair seemed even more beautiful with the streaks of gray that betrayed her age. She floated more than walked as she quietly conversed with everyone, not wishing anyone to be left out. I was thrilled that she seemed to be taking special interest in my dear friend Ebio.

"She certainly is," the old man said with a smile. He finally turned to look at me. "I can see much of her beauty in you, my dear."

I had to look down at my knees. "I do not know what to say to such a compliment, my Pharaoh."

He laughed softly. "You are certainly the most beautiful woman of your age, Asenath."

"Thank you, sir, but I do not deserve such compliments."

He gave my hand another pat, and then paused. Speaking slowly, he told me, "She is my great wife, but she is not the mother of Imhotep. She is barren, and yet I still chose her above all of the others. Do you know why?"

"A blind man could see that you love her, my Pharaoh."

"I do." He was staring at her again, smiling. "Do you think she is happy?"

I turned to look at her, as she smiled and conversed with anyone and everyone she could. "Yes, sir. She seems very happy."

"I will tell you why. Because her happiness is the second most important thing to me, after the health and strength of my people. And I care so much about her because I love her." He paused again after saying this. Out of the corner of my eye, I had been watching my father and Yosef conversing. While they spoke, my father kept trying to come closer to where the Pharaoh and I were seated. Likewise, Yosef was trying to guide him farther and farther away to keep him from eavesdropping. I was very grateful toward Yosef, especially when I heard what the Pharaoh said next. "My son seems to think that he loves you."

My mouth went dry; even if my mind had been able to come up with a response to his words, my throat would have been unable to say it. He continued on, "I am not blind to my son's personality. He does not love you the way I love my wife. He is not interested in your happiness any more than he is interested in the health of our people. That is one reason why I am so grateful for Zaphenath-Paneah; I know he cares for the people. But I have been watching you for the past weeks, and I think that my son is the last man to be able to make you happy. A beautiful young woman such as yourself deserves to be happy, my dear." He patted my hand yet again and smiled his wise smile at me.

"Thank you," I barely managed to whisper.

At that time, my father managed to break away from the Viceroy and began speaking with another high priest who was standing just behind me. I caught the quick, exasperated look that Yosef made at losing him. He turned to see if this would be a good time for him to come and steal me away, and he was clearly surprised to find me watching him. I smiled at him and he smiled back before coming closer to me. He bowed before Pharaoh and addressed him, his eyes shining. "Pharaoh Djoser, please allow me to steal this lovely young woman from you."

"It would be selfish of me to keep her all to myself," he said with a large smile. He lifted my hand and placed it in Yosef's hand. For a moment, the elderly man wrapped his hands around both of ours, then dismissed us with a laugh. Yosef helped me to stand, and began to lead me back towards the stairs.

_Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I'm not sure when Chapter 7 will be up, but I've already written a pretty decent-sized chunk of it, so hopefully soon. I do have a senior paper that needs to be written as well, though, so it may take a bit longer. I'm afraid to set a deadline, after being three days late with the last one! _

_I really love to know what you guys think of my story, and I always want to know what I can do better, so please review!_


	8. An Important Decision

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Man. I am really late this time. I'm so sorry! And I'm sorry times a million that this is such a short chapter. The next one is already (mostly) written, and it is much more eventful (and lengthy!), I promise. It will be out very soon. I promise that, too! And I truly do hope that you enjoy reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it!_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 7_

The Viceroy nearly had to carry me down the staircase, keeping one hand on my back and the other on my arm the entire way. I sincerely hoped that the Pharaoh had not seen me, for I was showing none of the grace his wife had in such abundance. Truly, I enjoyed watching the races, but always from the shore. Being on a boat myself is something I still do not enjoy. Upon reaching the lower level, Yosef deposited me at one of the many large windows and then brought me a cup of wine. The spices helped to settle my nerves, for which I was very grateful. "Thank you, Yosi," I said, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. There were not many people on this level, and we could talk in semi-privacy if we kept our voices low. He simply nodded, and we watched as the first oarsman fell into the water. There was some cheering from above, but Imhotep was not yet racing, so it did not seem very enthusiastic. Yosef crossed his arms and leaned against the windowsill.

"Your brother was a racer?" he asked tentatively. We had not discussed our brothers since that first day, and I know he was afraid of upsetting me.

"Yes. Before he went to war. His name was Tumaini, and he was the best racer in all of Egypt. And I am not the only one who believed so. The Pharaoh would not even allow my brother's team to race against Imhotep's, so as not to harm either man's record."

Yosef looked very surprised at my words. "Is Imhotep truly so skilled?"

I laughed and cast a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure no one was trying to listen in to our conversation. "No. He would never have been able to beat my brother, not in a million years! At least, in a _fair_ race. The son of Pharaoh receives certain..._courtesies _that others do not."

"You say that he cheats?"

"The Pharaoh tries to discourage it, but people are afraid. If it even looks like Imhotep might fall in, the entire opposing team will dive in the water before him. And no one would ever dare try to knock him off. Thus he has never been defeated. I have even seen members of his own team dive in to the water so that he would be the last man standing!"

Yosef laughed heartily at this. "I had no idea of this! But I now understand why he seemed so intent to have this tournament; he has never seemed intent about anything before! ...Except for you." He said the last part softly, and I simply gazed into my cup of wine, not wanting to talk about him. Yosef clearly took the hint, and returned to our previous topic.

"Would your brother have allowed Imhotep to win?"

I smiled, remembering all the times I had asked him the same question. "I certainly hope not, but I do not know. I asked him many times when I was younger, but he would always simply laugh at me and change the subject." We fell into a comfortable silence, watching as the final man of one team fell into the water.

"What is it that you wished to talk about, Adi?"

I sighed, unsure of how to begin. Would he believe me? I was finding it difficult to even believe myself. "Yosef... Your God has blessed you with the ability to understand dreams. I certainly have one for you." I began to tell him all about the previous night and what I had seen. He listened intently and without interrupting, and when I had finished, he flagged down a server and got his own cup of wine. His expression was unreadable, and he took a long drink before saying anything to me.

"I do not think that was a dream, Adi." This certainly was not what I had expected him to say.

"But... I mean, that could not have _actually_ happened!"

"It is not impossible."

"Yes, but... It is not likely!" He looked steadily in my eyes and took another drink. I could not hold his gaze, and had to look away. "So, say this truly did happen," I began softly. "What does it mean? What do I _do_?" This last part came out much more desperate and pleading than I had wished, but it could not be helped.

"You must not worship any other god. They are not true. All of these things that your people worship are things my God has made. He _made_ the sun, and the river, and all things. Do not pray to any other, no matter what the cost. You must learn to follow Him." At his words, my thoughts instantly turned to my father.

"This is not something I can hide, Yosef. If I do this, I shall sever all ties I may still have with my father."

"I know," he whispered. "I am sorry. But there is no other way."

"I know..." My father and I were not currently agreeing, but if I were to do this... I could not imagine the consequence. People would talk. His reputation... The daughter of a priest of Atum cannot rebuke her own gods and turn to the God of the Hebrews. It is not even an option! And yet, there I was. It would break my mother's heart. What would Tumaini have done? There would be no going back from here. Taking a deep breath of air, I prepared myself for the decision I was about to make.

"...Very well. I swear, from this day, I shall not follow any other gods but your God."

I had been expecting something remarkable when I said this. Perhaps the skies would open up, and God would reveal Himself, and trumpets would sound and drums would play... None of these things happened, and I felt very foolish and arrogant for thinking that such a statement would be worth the unfurling of the Heavens. Disappointment was beginning to set in, when Yosef looked quickly around, then leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"I am glad, Adi," he whispered in my ear. I could feel my face heating up and muttered a quick "thank you." He pulled me into a hug, and I felt completely comforted and secure in his arms. I never wanted to leave; but our moment was ended by a sudden eruption of cheering from above. I physically jumped, causing Yosef to let go, laughing at me. I looked around and realized that Imhotep's team was now racing, and had just knocked a man into the Nile.

"Come, Adi," Yosef said, holding his arm out to me. "I think it is safe for us to watch from above now." I laughed and took his offered arm, and we returned to the top level to enjoy the races.

Ebio joined us, and the three of us sat together near Pharaoh. My father was in a far corner looking miserable, and a part of me felt as if I had abandoned him. But, I am ashamed to say, the three of us were enjoying ourselves so much that I hardly even noticed him there. Perhaps I should not have taken such enjoyment at the fact that his plan had seemingly backfired; but it was probably the most enjoyable day I had had since coming to Memphis.

I knew it could not last.

_Authors Note: I am so so so sorry that it took this long for me to update again. I promise Chapter 8 is coming very soon; if not tonight, then hopefully tomorrow. I do have to go out of town tomorrow, and computer access is questionable; so if it isn't up by tomorrow, it will be at some time this weekend. You have my word on that._

_I'm not above begging. Please send reviews! I know this wasn't a very long chapter (and I do apologize for that ), but I love knowing what you guys think! Thanks for reading!_


	9. A Horrible Action and a Daring Rescue

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: I won't lie, I'm really proud of myself. Here I am, (mostly) sticking to deadlines and making another long chapter! Long chapters make me feel better about life :) Anyway... I am glad to say that this chapter is more eventful than the last, and I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it!_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 8_

We had dined on the boat by lamplight, and by the time we had returned to shore the sky was dark and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. I said a teary goodnight to my dear friends, knowing that I would not see them much the next day, as I would be packing my things and preparing to leave. I headed to my room downhearted, and changed sleepily into my nightdress. Raziya helped me take all of my jewelry off, and we were about to take down my hair when a loud, bold knock sounded at my door. "I am not dressed!" I called, hoping they would leave and allow me to sleep.

"It is Imhotep," came the gruff reply. "Let me in." I was worried—his words were slightly slurred and I imagined that he had had too much to drink; but I nodded to Raziya regardless and she crossed the room to let him in as I tried to make sure my nightdress was at least mostly modest. As he entered, I stood up, trying to look nonchalant while still fully covering myself. He was looking intently at me and I felt very uncomfortable.

"Asenath. Come with me," he demanded, holding his hand out to me. When I made no movement, he stepped forward and grabbed my hand viciously. "I have something to show you," he said angrily, and he began to drag me out of my room. I reached out and grabbed Raziya's hand as we passed and whispered, "Yosi." I knew she understood what I was asking; her eyes widened and she nodded quickly, and next I knew I was being dragged down the hallway.

We entered a door through which I had never passed, and found myself in a dark, long, winding corridor. He continued to drag me along, though I could hardly see where we were going. We passed one doorway in particular, through which I could hear the voices of many women, all chattering quickly and at the same time. One voice stands out in my memory: a small, questioning voice that asked, "Maybe he is not coming tonight?" The simple question took my breath away as I realized that the doorway must lead to the quarters of Imhotep's wives and concubines. I had been worried before, but I was now frightened.

We finally stopped in front of a particularly solid-looking door. Imhotep opened it and literally threw me in, then came in after me and shut and locked the door with a resounding 'thunk!' I stumbled into the room to avoid falling, then spun around, hoping to catch Imhotep off guard. He was much closer to me than I had anticipated, and I was instead the one to be startled. I still tried to keep my composure as I rebuked him, demanding, "What is the meaning of this? I can't--"

He cut me off by grabbing my arms roughly and leaning forward as if to kiss me. I managed to turn my head in time and his lips crashed onto my cheek. I shoved him away roughly. "Get your hands off of me! Do not touch me!" He then hit me, hard, and I fell backwards onto the floor. I tried to scoot away from him, but felt my back hit something solid and hard. His bed.

'Oh, God,' I prayed frantically, 'Please save me!' I tried to scramble back to my feet but was pushed again to the ground. I began to scream for help and he smacked me again, making me see stars.

"Silence!" he bellowed. He straddled my legs to keep me from kicking him, and he grabbed onto my thrashing arms. I heard a ripping noise as he pulled my sleeve apart from my dress. He covered my mouth with it and began to tie it around my head. My arms took advantage of their momentary freedom while his hands were occupied, and I managed to scratch his face deeply. He cried out in pain and smacked me again. My other sleeve was ripped off; he grabbed my wrists and tied them together, then lifted them above my head and tied them to the bedpost. I tried to scream but the sound was muffled; I tried to struggle, but my strength failed me. Imhotep stood up and looked down on me with an almost pitying look.

"It was not supposed to happen like this. Oh, Asenath. If only you had not struggled... Oh well." Apparently his pity would only extend so far; the moment passed, and he was on top of me again.

'God, save me!" I cried, unsure of whether it was prayed or yelled. He touched me in places no one had right to touch, and I tried to pull away, to get my hands loose, to do _something_! But nothing could be done. I heard another rip—he was ripping my dress apart, starting at the neckline. It was then that a banging on his door (not the hidden one we had come through) sounded, loud and forceful. He sprung off of me and ran to the door as if to lock it, but it was slammed open before he could get to it.

There stood Yosef, temporarily stunned by the sight before him. "No." The word he spoke was a mixture of a yell and a whisper, soft yet piercing all at once. That single word seemed to break a spell, and suddenly Yosef had his hands on Imhotep and was physically throwing him out the door. Imhotep turned and ran away from Yosef, who looked like he wanted very much to follow him. I had never seen him so angry, and it seemed to take all of the self-control he had to resist the urge to hunt down Imhotep, and instead to rush quickly to my side.

I had pulled my knees up in front of me, hoping to preserve what little modesty I could with a dress ripped open at the chest. Yosef quickly untied my bound hands, and I was able to cover myself more effectively with my arms. He removed my gag as well, then took off his cloak and draped it over me. My heart was racing, and tears were streaming down my face. Yosef bent down and picked me up, and I clung to his chest, sobbing. Raziya came in to the room and gasped at what she saw.

"Raziya," Yosef said in a quaking voice. "I will take her back to her room. Will you please tell Miss Ebio what has occurred? Asenath will be in need of company this night." Raziya ran out of the room quickly and Yosef began to carry me back to my own room. I hid my face in his shoulder, terrified that someone would be walking in the halls and would see me in such a state.

"Oh, Adi... I am so sorry..." I wanted to tell him it was alright, that he had no reason to apologize. He had saved me! But the tears would not stop and the words would not come. An eternity seemed to have passed before Yosef set me down on my own bed. I curled into myself, away from him. He pulled the blankets over me and tucked me in.

"Do you wish me to stay?" he asked in a voice that was just barely a whisper. Of course I did! And yet, at the same time, I was terrified of being around any men. My distrust for them was only increased by this night. But I knew I could trust Yosi! I opened my mouth to answer, but whatever words I was about to say were cut off by another sob. Instead, I reached out and grabbed his hand tightly. He stayed there at my side, holding my hand, until Ebio came bursting into my room.

"Asenath! My dear friend!" She ran to me and hugged me tightly. "Praise Ra that Yosef came!"

He gave a noble sort of bow with his arm across his chest. "It indeed was a blessing that Raziya came to find me." There was a pained look on his face as he said this. "I know you are in good company now, dearest Adi, so I will take my leave of you. I must inform the Pharaoh of what has transpired this night. Imhotep will not go unpunished." He turned and began to walk out of the room.

"Yosi," I called, wishing my voice sounded less like that of a frightened child. He turned back to me with his hand on the door handle. "Thank you." My voice cracked and faded, but he smiled gently at me and bowed his head before leaving.

Ebio helped me to take down my hair and I went behind a screen to change out of my ripped and torn nightdress. I climbed into bed physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. Ebio laid down next to me, and I felt eternally grateful for her company that night. More than anything, I was afraid of being alone. We stayed awake talking for a very long time until, finally, we both dropped off to sleep.

* * *

I was awakened to a soft, confident knock at my door. Ebio had risen long before I, and, having washed and dressed in the clothes Raziya had brought from her room, she was the one to answer the door. For a moment I was utterly confused as to why she was in my room and why Raziya had allowed me to sleep so late, having forgotten the previous night's...occurrence. The memories returned in a wave, and I threw the covers over my head with a groan, not wanting to leave this bed ever again. Ebio came to my side and tenderly touched my shoulder.

"Asenath? Yosef is at the door." I peered out from beneath my blankets. "He has arranged for breakfast to be brought here so that we may dine alone. He would like to know if you wish him to dine with us or not." My trust in Yosef was once again at odds with my sworn distrust for all men. "He is very concerned for you, Asenath. I have never seen a man so caring!"

I smiled weakly at her. "You know, he does have a younger brother," I suggested. We both laughed at my childishness, and I sat up in bed with a great sigh. "Please ask him to wait while I dress. I think it would be...beneficial for him to dine with us." She nodded happily and returned to the door with my message.

I dressed quickly, considering my decision. I wished to see no man. But this was Yosef! He was my rescuer, my savior! He cared deeply for me. He was my friend, my... 'My what?' I asked myself. 'He can not be anything more than a friend. More importantly, he _is_ not.' I sighed, wishing my mind was not so confused. I stole a glance at myself in a mirror—my hair a disheveled mess, my eyes red and puffy from crying, and very bland without the kohl I usually wore. I was too tired for makeup. I almost preferred looking this way than having to dress myself up to look like someone I was not.

I left from behind the screen, fully dressed and nearly awakened, to find that Raziya had made my bed and set up a small circle of cushions so that we could sit and eat. Ebio came to my side, her young eyes filled with concern. "Are you certain, Asenath? The Viceroy would not be offended if you do not wish to see him."

I put on my best confident smile and hoped that it did not look forced. "Yosef is our friend. We can trust him." She nodded and went to the door, opening it with a smile. Two young female servants filed in, carrying trays laden with fruit and bread and honey. I hardly saw any of this. My gaze was stolen by Yosef, who had only barely entered the room and now stood with his back against the wall, looking at me with an indiscernible look on his face. He was watching me, studying me, looking for clues as to how I was feeling and how I would react. I wished to give him no clues, choosing to watch him as well. He was being very cautious, as though afraid I might explode or fall apart at the slightest touch.

I do not know for how long we stood there, watching each other, before he, with an uncertain look in his eyes, took an uncertain step away from the wall. I walked forward to meet him, not noticing anyone else in the room. He stood a good distance away from me, but I closed the distance quickly to show I was not afraid of him. He smiled a little smile, and bowed his head slightly, concern evident in his eyes.

"Did you sleep alright last night?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you. Ebio's company was a blessing."

"She is very good company. I can see why you are such friends." We had quickly come to a lull in this conversation. I saw him take a breath; his eyes looked at me thoughtfully, as if he was making the decision, right at that moment, to either disclose or withhold the information he was planning to give me. "I spoke with Pharaoh," he whispered, finally making a decision. I waited for him to continue. "He is... Well, he is not happy. He has disowned his son."

"What?" I breathed. I had not expected that.

"From this moment on, Imhotep is simply the Royal Architect. He holds no power, and shall no longer live in the palace."

My mind was reeling. Such a harsh punishment! Even for the horrible thing he had done to me (or tried to do to me), this was a far harsher punishment than I had expected to come from Pharaoh's hand. "Will the people of Egypt be told what he did?"

"Do you wish them to be?"

"No. No, no... No. I do not want anyone to know."

"Then they shall not. Imhotep will simply be removed. The people will create their own reasons for his disownment. One can only hope that they will be more fantastic reasons than the truth."

"Thank you." Finding nothing else to be said, we sat down with Ebio and began to eat. I did not have much of an appetite, but I tried to eat anyway to keep my dear friends from worrying too much. We talked about many things, but our conversation was much more subdued than usual. Ebio did most of the talking; Yosef spent his time by watching my every more. I knew that he was concerned, which made me feel far more comfortable with having him around.

Our meal came to an end and, while my friends wished to stay with me longer, I had to excuse them so that Raziya and I could finish packing the rest of my things. They both promised to escort me to my father's barge, which I was very grateful for. I did not know if Potipherah had been informed of what had happened, but I did not want to be left alone with him.

Whenever I travel, I am always amazed at how small my boxes seem. My entire world can seemingly fit into a few travel chests, all of the clothing and trinkets and jewelry that I have come to call my own. It was on this day, looking at the chests that Raziya and I had just finished filling, that I truly realized for the first time that these items were not at all important. My clothing and jewels would become torn and tarnished with time. The friendships I had forged with Yosef and with Ebio, the time I had spent conversing with Raziya and the Pharaoh; these moments I would hold in my heart forever.

It was a long, sombre walk down to the Nile, with Yosef at my right and Ebio at my left. My father and I had not shared a word, and he walked along a good distance ahead of us. I had missed my mother and my home, but I had also grown quite fond of Memphis and my friends there. I cried much in saying goodbye to Ebio, who promised again to visit me. Then she turned away, allowing me to speak with Yosef in private.

"Adi," he whispered, reaching up a hand to wipe away my tears. I stepped into his arms and buried my face in his chest. He held me tightly, saying soothing words in Hebrew. Something that he said caught my ear, and I pulled away slightly.

"You never told me, Yosi... What does Adi mean?"

He smiled his mysterious smile, touching my cheek with his thumb. "I cannot tell you now. The next time I see you, though, I promise you will know."

"Will there even be a next time?" I asked gloomily, turning my eyes away from him and gazing at the sand.

"Yes, Adi," he whispered, turning my chin so I would look at him. "I promise, we will meet again soon. Now go," he said, pressing his lips against my temple. "Your father needs you."

I turned around to look at my father, who was standing alone on the barge, looking very tired, old, lonely, and helpless. I was nearly overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, looking at him, and I swore that I would love my father now more than ever, no matter what he might choose to do to me. I turned to look back at my best friend. "Good-bye, Yosef."

"No. Not goodbye. See you soon."

I smiled, and stood on the tips of my toes to place a kiss on his cheek. "See you soon." With that, I turned and boarded the boat, joining my father and taking his hand. He seemed startled, but he did not let go.

We waved goodbye as the barge pulled away from shore. My friends waved back and, as I tried to engrave both of their features in my mind as we drew further and further away, I prayed to Yosef's God—_my_ God—that his words and promise had not been in vain, and that we would see each other again soon.

_Author's Note: Sorry there wasn't much dialogue in this chapter. Please Review! I can't express how happy reviews make me, and a happy Lumia means faster updates! Thanks for reading!!_


	10. Of Parents and Prisons

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: I promise I haven't given up on this story!! Life's been pretty hectic lately, trying to finish up my senior year and sort through college stuff and scholarships and homework and my internship and...ugh! I feel even worse because I know I've had this written out for a very long time, and it's taken me this long to type it up and upload it! My deepest apologies everyone! And I know this is probably the shortest chapter I've written, but I can assure you that it's leading up to what is probably the longest (and by far the greatest!) chapter I've done. I have that one written up, too, and I hope to have that up by tomorrow, and no later than this weekend. I'm excited! :D_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 9_

Oh, to see my mother again! It was not until I saw her standing on the bank, waving to us with a grin splitting her beautiful face in two, that I realized just how much I had missed her, and how glad I was to see her again. There had been an ache in my heart for my dear home, one that I had suppressed by the sights of Memphis and the company of my friends there. But to step on the shore of Heliopolis, to feel my mother's arms around me once again, and to view over her shoulder the familiar landscape of my home... There was simply nothing like it! I breathed deeply, trying to fill myself with everything I had missed.

"How was your trip?" my mother asked after greeting and kissing my father.

I grinned. "It was wonderful!"

I never told my mother what had happened on my last night in Memphis. I do not know if my father ever told her, or even if he was ever told himself. My mother did ask if we knew why Pharaoh had disowned his son--gossip always seems to travel faster than the Nile—but Potipherah and I both told her that we knew nothing about it. I hated lying to my mother, but I was unable to talk about what had happened. I would not be able to admit to her what I had been subjected to. So we never talked about it, and the rift between my parents and I only grew wider and more impassible.

For one full day, my life was peaceful and calm and...normal. And it was beautiful while it lasted, but I have long since learned that nothing ever lasts. At breakfast, the morning after our return to Heliopolis, my father informed me that we were to go to the temple and offer a sacrifice to the gods to thank them for allowing us safe passage home. It was absolutely the hardest thing I had ever done, but I softly informed him that I would not be going. There was such a strong silence in the dining room that I was too afraid to lift my eyes from my plate.

"What did you say?" my father demanded in a dangerously low voice.

"I am not going," I replied softly.

"Why not?" His voice was growing steadily more harsh, but I would not let myself be intimidated.

"I have given my life to the Hebrew God, and have promised not to worship any other." The silence in the room was overwhelming, and when I found the courage to look up at my father, the look of his features made me honestly begin to fear for my life. My mother was very frightened, as was I. But I set my face and told myself to be brave, praying desperately for courage. "I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice betraying my outward display.

At my words, my father leaped from his seat and lurched towards me, grabbing my already bruised and aching wrist (that I had tried so desperately to cover with carnelian bangles that morning).

"Get up!" he bellowed, and I scrambled to my feet. He bustled me out the door and through many hallways, and all the while my mother followed, pleading with him to let me go. His face and heart were set hard as stone, though, and he half-led, half-dragged me to my bedroom and threw me inside. I heard my mother cry, "Potipherah, please! She is your daughter!"

There was a moment of silence, when I stared at my father and he stared at me, and I got a glimpse of my father before Tumaini's death; the father that loved life and loved my brother and I even more, the father that cared not for the regulations of the priesthood so much as for the happiness of his family. It may have lasted for a fraction of a second, it may have lasted for a hundred years.

"I have no daughter," he said coldly, and he slammed the door, locking it from without and walking deliberately away.

_Author's Note: Yikes. This seemed a lot longer in my journal... Please Review! I can't even tell you how happy reviews make me! They're practically what I live for!! Be looking forward to the next chapter soon! All my love! 3_


	11. My Jewel

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Here it is! Honestly, I have been planning and anticipating this chapter ever since I decided I was going to write this story! But, I will have you know right now that I've changed my mind about how this chapter plays out about 5 or 6 times. Have you seen the movie _Alex and Emma_? In it, Alex talks about how the characters in his novel tell him the plot, because their personalities write the stories themselves. That is absolutely how I have felt writing this. Yosef's character has rewritten this for me :) I want to warn you ahead of time: this chapter is long! Maybe too much so, but…well, you'll see! ;)_

_Before I go on, I would like you all to know that I am dedicating this chapter to __**rainpaint**__!! She has been my most constant and supportive reviewer, and she was also the first to realize the reason for the title of this story. Thank you so much! I can't even tell you how it makes my day when I check my email and see that I have a new review from you! Thank you thank you thank you __**rainpaint**__!!_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 10_

It was dusk before I saw or heard from anyone else, even servants. My mother came to me with a tray of food, an armful of fabric, and a weary, grim look on her face. She was trying to be cheerful and pretend like nothing was wrong, but her voice kept breaking when she told me that the fabric was so that I had something with which to occupy myself for however long I was imprisoned there. I smiled for her, and thanked her for being so considerate, and we fell into uneasy small talk as I ate. When I had finished, she was quiet for several moments. And when she began talking again, it was in a soft, solemn voice.

"Your father wants me to convince you to change your mind. Tell me, my daughter: Will anything I say somehow sway your decision?"

I shook my head. "No. I am resolute."

She sighed, deeply and wearily, as though under some terrible burden that was more tiresome than painful. "Very well. Then I will make no further attempt. And she reached out her arms and held me, as a mother should. "I love you, my daughter. And your father loves you too, though he has forgotten how to show it. But you are no longer a child, and must make decisions for yourself." And with that, she took the empty tray and left me to my prison.

Seven days passed in much the same way. My mother came to my room twice a day and brought me food and fabric. The hours between were spent sleeping, sewing, and praying to my God. I got to know Him better, and my sewing abilities increased greatly as the days passed. I made countless new dresses, each one more elaborate than the last.

The eighth day began in this fashion, with my mother gently waking me with another tray of food. We talked, I ate, and she was gone with another reminder of her and my father's love for me. I held no bitterness toward my father. He was only doing what he thought was right. When she left, I prepared myself for another ten hours of nothingness.

However, a little while after midday, a young servant came into my room. It had been so long since I had seen anyone save my mother that, even though I scarcely knew the young girl who was standing at my door, I rushed forward to embrace her. She was very startled, but she did not draw back.

"Miss?" she asked tentatively. "Your father wishes you to dress and meet your mother and himself and their guest. I am to help you." I was thrilled! Certainly, I would wear one of the new dresses I had made! But I was also unsettled. It had been a week since I had last seen my father, and I did not know if his feelings toward me had abated or if he simply wished to make a fine impression on our guest. Speaking of whom…

"Who is this guest that I am to meet?" I asked the girl who was currently helping me into the soft, cream-colored dress with blue trim that I had chosen to wear.

To my dismay, she shook her head slowly. "Surely, I do not know, miss. All I have heard is that he is an official from the palace." Her words did nothing to ease my conflicting emotions, and I was silent as the girl perfected my hair and drew kohl around my eyes, and then led me outside to the garden where my parents and our guest were waiting. We turned a corner, and my parents were both standing facing our guest, who had his back to me. But I spotted his curly dark hair, and my breath caught in my throat. My mother said something to him, and he turned around to face me, his eyes bright. I ran to him, forgetting my manners completely. He caught me up in his arms and spun me around once, making me laugh.

"Asenath," he chuckled, setting me down again. "It is very good to see you."

I cleared my throat, realizing suddenly that I needed to at least make an attempt towards acting my age in this situation. He was, after all, the second-in-command of all Egypt. "It is good to see you as well, Viceroy," I said with a polite bow of my head. In reply, he simply laughed at me, eyes shining, easily seeing through my mask of formality.

My mother took my father's arm with a knowing and cheerful smile on her face. "We shall leave you two to talk. I am sure you have much to discuss. You are staying for dinner, Zaphenath-Paneah?"

He nodded his head with a courteous smile. "If you will have me." My mother _giggled_, of all things! Then, with a knowing smile towards the two of us, she led my father away—who was, rather expectedly, avoiding my eye. We watched them walk away, and then I turned to my friend.

"What are you doing here, Yosi?"

He smiled, looking down at me, his eyes shining. "I had something of the utmost importance to discuss with your mother," he said in that soft, calm voice that I had missed so much.

"With my mother?" I asked, confused. Why had he not come to speak with my father? But he simply nodded and took my arm, leading me to a bench underneath an aging plum tree, facing the duck pond. We sat, and he looked down at his hands, for the first time showing a hint of nervousness and anxiety.

"I do not know how to do this…" he muttered softly, as if to himself. I waited silently, allowing him to gather his thoughts, and wondering what could possibly have made this man so ill at ease. After a moment's pause, he looked up at me again and took my hand in both of his. "Asenath, I have a tale to tell you, so that you will understand why I am here. It could become very lengthy, and I am very nervous; I must ask that you will not interrupt me, for, if you do, I may not be able to continue. You will want to speak, I am sure, many times; but you must promise me that you will not."

"I promise," I assured him, my mind reeling in wonder. His hands, holding mine tightly, were trembling. I loved this man's honesty. He was so strong and confident that, though he sat there telling me his deepest feelings, I would never, in a thousand lifetimes, have considered him weak. He cleared his throat, avoided my eyes, and began to relate his story.

"Ever since Pharaoh has exalted me to this position, he has been…_encouraging_ me to find and take a wife. This was his reasoning for asking all of his officials to bring their young, eligible daughters with them to Memphis, in the hope that some young woman would catch my eye. It seems, though, that many believed that Pharaoh was intending for…Imhotep," he said this name with great bitterness, "to find another wife. Therefore, when Pharaoh introduced me to his guests, I was not greatly surprised or even bothered when most of the young women in the room looked to me with a disinterested or even hateful look. Some did not even look at me, but had their gaze locked solidly on Pharaoh's son.

"And then… And then, you caught my eye. And not only were you looking at me, but you smiled such a kind, encouraging smile, that I could not hold your gaze. And I spent the duration of the meal watching you, in hopes that I might learn something of your character." I opened my mouth to say something to this, but remembered my promise and closed it quickly. He had not caught it, though, because he still seemed to be finding it difficult to look at me.

"After meeting and speaking with you in the garden, I knew that I wished to know more about you. I intentionally attempted to intercept you in the halls, and, to my great pleasure, I found that you enjoyed my company as well. I quickly became quite fond of you, Adi; and my attachment was tested far sooner than I had expected it to be.

"Nine days after meeting you, as I was in a private discussion with Pharaoh, his wretched son came bounding in. He was in a jovial mood that day, and was telling us very loudly that he intended to make you his wife. He was boasting of your beauty as though he spoke to blind men; but, from seeing your interactions with him since I had known you, I knew that such a match would certainly be very far from your interests. Thus, I was relieved when Pharaoh spoke up. 'Do not begin the wedding arrangements just yet,' said he, 'for that decision is still mine to make.' Imhotep gave his father a look that, had it come from anyone else, would have earned him an expedient and painful death. 'Certainly, father, you will not disprove the match?' he asked, his voice venomous.

"'I have not decided,' was his answer. 'I will let you know my decision no later than tomorrow. Until then, you are dismissed.' But this was not the answer Imhotep had desired, and he grew even angrier. 'I love her!' he roared, but this was followed by silence. Slowly, his father stood, and pierced him with a look.

"'I said, you are dismissed,' he answered in a low, stern voice that Imhotep, even in his fury, understood and feared. He left with a hasty bow, and Pharaoh turned to me. 'You are my chief advisor, Zaphenath-Paneah,' he said, sitting heavily on his throne. 'Advise me.'

"I did not know what to tell him, but I knew that I certainly would need to tell him the truth. So I spent a good deal of time discoursing on my reservations to the match, how it was not in your best interest, and how his son was a man of fleeting passions and, surely, would forget all about this in a short time. Pharaoh listened to all I had to say with his eyebrows raised, and, when I had finished, he smiled slowly and humorously at me.

"'Perhaps I should have clarified,' he said, laughing. 'When I asked you to advise me, I was asking that you advise me how to inform my son of my disapproval without causing his anger to overwhelm us. For, certainly, I would never condemn our dear Asenath to such a life. The thought never once crossed my mind.' He had a good laugh at my embarrassment, and then we began to discuss how to keep you from this fate. I was not there when he informed his son of our decision, so, I must admit, I was worried that he may have retracted his choice when your friend Ebio came to tell you what Imhotep's intention was. I cannot… I cannot express my relief when she told us that he had not.

"I was so preoccupied that I forgot to invite you to the boat races, which is why I followed you to your room that night. I certainly was not prepared to encounter your father, and I knew that something must be wrong when you could not meet my gaze. I burned with anger when you told me what he had said to you, and what he had almost done." He had his face turned to the ground, but his eyes turned to me as he said, "The thought of _anyone_ laying their hands on you, doing _anything_ to hurt you, is more than I can bear." He paused, looking at the ground again. His hands tightened their grip on mine.

"Imhotep is lucky to be _alive_," he growled. It was a lower, more terrifying tone than any I had ever heard him use, and I nearly began to worry for Imhotep's life as well.

His grip loosened, and he turned to me again, a softer look in his eyes. "I am not a violent man, Adi, and I hope not to have made you think so. But I would destroy anyone who would harm my jewel." He looked away again. "_That_ is what Adi means. 'My jewel.' Because you are more precious to me than anything else in this world. Any power or wealth I may have means nothing when compared to you."

Tears were leaking from my eyes. But I remembered my promise, and I did not interrupt him.

"It was not until you had left Memphis that I admitted this to myself. And I knew that I must do something about it. I went to Pharaoh and told him my intention." He chuckled, a small smile on his face. "Djoser laughed at me. 'I knew it!' he said. 'I knew you must be a real person!' When I asked him what he meant, he replied, 'For as long as I have known you, you have had a most honorable intention for everything you have done. But now, finally, I see that you had an ulterior motive for preventing the marriage of Asenath and Imhotep!'"

"After he had his laugh at my expense, he began to take me seriously, and he readily approved of my decision. But, shortly after this, we received the news that your father had begun to deny ever having a daughter. No one seemed to know his reasoning for this, as you are quite famous throughout Egypt, and nearly everyone knows that you are the daughter of Potipherah. I feared that it had to do with your devotion to our God. And I was terrified that this would be a hindrance to that which I desired. I ran to Pharaoh, entirely out of sorts. He was able to bring me back to my sense, and to assure me that all was not lost. As Pharaoh, he is the nonbiological father of _all_ citizens of Egypt, and he has promised to give you away in your father's stead…" His voice trailed off, and we did not speak for many moments.

Tears were falling freely from my eyes, and I lost all ability to control myself when this good, wonderful, amazing man got up off the bench and knelt down in front of me, looking me full in the eye for the first time since he began his story.

"There is only one thing left to make my happiness complete. Say that you will marry me, and be my wife, and I will be the happiest man alive. I love you," he said, his voice full of emotion.

I could barely speak, barely _think_, barely do anything but throw my arms around his neck, crying and laughing and saying, "Yes! More than anything else, I love you! And I will be yours!"

And for once in my life, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that my happiness—_our_ joy—would last forever.

_Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I know this one was crazy long, with an incredible amount of chunky paragraphs. I'm sorry! I did try to break it up as much as possible. I really hope you enjoyed it anyway… Please review! I love love love reviews, and I love my reviewers even more! And, as always, I sincerely hope that you're enjoying reading this story as much I'm enjoying writing it!!_


	12. Engagements, Preparations, Promises

_Disclaimer/Author's Note: Hey everyone! Are you surprised? Sorry, it seems that I ended the last chapter with such finality that a lot of you guys thought I was done for good! But, of course, it probably didn't help that I haven't updated in forever and a day… Sorry about that! Things have been pretty crazy for me. I just started college, which I LOVE, but it's a lot of work and I haven't had much time for writing lately. But know that I am continuing this story, and I'm working on it as often as I can! This chapter is much shorter than I was hoping it to be, as I've hit a profoundly solid wall of writer's block… You know what would help? Reviews! I really love to know what you guys think about this story, so please give me any and all thoughts and feedback that you have! Thanks guys, and enjoy!_

_Obviously, I do not own the Bible, or any of the people therein. Ebio and Raziya belong to me, but no one else. Don't sue._

_Chapter 11_

Let me begin by saying this: Our wedding was a mess. A mess of cultures and traditions and observances, all jumbled up, shaken together, and running over. This was us, the marriage between a very devout man and a young wife who was striving for that same devotion to a God she had just met, both of them deeply and inextricably linked with a differing and often opposing faith and culture—one that held much more political power than their own... And both very much in love.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Before I regress, however, I would like to say one more thing: It was a beautiful mess.

My father's house was overwhelmed with activity when Yosef and I returned inside. My future husband had been quite certain that his proposal would be well received—a point that I made sure to tease him about later—and had loaded a barge past its full capacity with lavish gifts for me, his future wife, as well as with enough food and drink to supply a feast and celebration the like of which Heliopolis had never seen before. My mother must have sent all of our servants throughout the streets of the city, inviting absolutely anyone and everyone they met to come and celebrate our engagement. I was whisked away from my dear Yosef so that I could change into the light blue engagement dress that my mother had been keeping for me for several years, ever since I had come of marrying age. By the time my hair and makeup were made flawless and I finally returned to the banquet hall, every man, woman, and child of the city of Heliopolis was there, feasting and toasting in Yosef's and my honor. There were so many people that cushions had to be taken outside for there to be room enough for most everyone to be seated. There was music, and dancing, and food, and fun, and so many people that I needed to speak with and thank for their congratulations, that it was nearly three hours before I was able to speak with Yosef again. He had silently come up next to me, taken my hand in his, and led me off to where drinks were being poured. He poured out a single cup of wine, and then turned to me.

"There is a tradition in my culture," he began, his soft voice barely audible over the noise of the party, and I had to stand quite close to him to be able to hear what he said—not that I would ever complain about such a thing. "When a man is interested in taking a wife, he must go to her father's house and pour a cup of wine. The bridegroom takes a drink of this cup, and then offers it to his bride. If she accepts, then they are officially considered engaged." Keeping his eyes locked on mine, he slowly took a drink from the cup, and then held it out to me. I smiled up at him, took the cup with trembling hands, and gladly took a drink.

Our joy was indescribable. Even the minutest detail of that day has been engraved in my memory forever. And I knew things were going to get even better, but first they had to be hard for a time. There were many months after this day, during which I was unable to see Yosef. He spent much time traveling throughout Egypt, visiting with all of her highest officials and teaching them how food was to be stored during the coming years of plenty. Whenever he was able to return to Heliopolis, he only came to visit with my mother and discuss the wedding contract and ceremony; I was not to be a part of these discussions, and so I did not see him then either. But those months were such a flurry of activity and busyness that I would have found it difficult to find time to spend with my husband. There were so many things I still needed to learn to become a good wife and mother that I often feared my memory would be unable to keep them.

There was one day, one hour, one moment of inactivity during those months that I will never forget. My mother was still busy with preparations that evening, and so had to miss dinner, causing my father and me to eat alone together for the first time since he had locked me in my room. Our meal was overwhelmingly silent, and neither one of us spoke a word until we had finished eating. Then my father solemnly turned to me with sad, tired eyes. "Asenath…" he sighed, "I have treated you horribly, have I not?" It was not a question to be answered, and I stared at my empty plate, trying to hold back tears. "I am sorry for what we have become. For what I have made us. I wish you to know… No, I need you to know that I have always loved you, that I have always wanted only the best for you. I am… I am so proud of you. Not simply because of whom you are going to marry, but because of whom you have become. I am sorry for how I have hurt you. I will not ruin your wedding with my presence."

I wished to run to him, to throw my arms around him and cry with him, and tell him all was forgiven...but the pain was still quite fresh. And so I sat there with my fists tightly clenched in my lap, and replied in as calm a voice as I could, "Please, father… I would love for you to be there. I have always loved you, and I always will, and I would do anything for you to be there."

He stood and cleared his voice before speaking, closer to tears than I had seen him since Tumaini's death. "Very well. I promise I shall attend." And he turned and left the room, and I stood and left as well. I was grateful for the maids that came and whisked me away—such a distraction from my thoughts was welcome.

_Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Sorry again that this chapter is so short; but the more reviews I get, the higher the likelihood of a longer, speedier update--I thrive on feedback! Anyway, I love you guys, and I hope you're enjoying reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it!!_


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